Lord Peter Wimsey (Robert Montgomery) has just purchased an estate called Tall-boys as a wedding present for his bride, Lady Harriet Vane Wimsey (Constance Cummings). At one time Tall-boys had been Harriet’s family home. Peter is an amateur detective and Harriet writes detective novels. With their expertise they have been tapped from time to time by Inspector Andrew Kirk (Leslie Banks) to assist the police in solving murders. To start their married life off on a more calming note they both agree to give up solving crimes. After the wedding they pack up the car, and along with their servant, Mervyn Bunter (Seymour Hicks), head off to spend their honeymoon at Tall-boys.
The now former owner of Tall-boys is Mr. Noakes (Roy Emerton). Noakes is not well liked in the small village. Noakes’ only relative is his niece Aggie Twitterton (Joan Kemp-Welch). Aggie is a bit of a mouse and is engaged to Frank Crutchley (Robert Newton). Crutchley is a jack of all trades that works at Tall-boys, and a louse. He is wooing Aggie wanting to get his hands on her inheritance. He is also seeing Polly (Googie Withers), who works at the local pub. Also working at Tall-boys is an alcoholic maid, Mrs. Ruddle (Louise Hampton). Included in the mix are various local characters, some of which have had run-ins with the rude and sneaky Noakes.
When Lord and Lady Wimsey arrive at Tall-boys they are unable to find Mr. Noakes. They get a key from Aggie and settle in. They next day the body of Noakes is found in the basement. Trying to stay out of the situation, Peter and Harriett decide to leave but when Inspector Kirk arrives, they are forced to stay for the inquest. The longer they stay the more involved they are in trying to solve the murder, despite their intentions to give up crime.
“Haunted Honeymoon” AKA “Busman’s Honeymoon” was released in 1940 and was directed by Arthur B. Woods and Richard Thorpe. It is a British comedy mystery and was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios.
The movie was good, but it took a long time to get to the murder part. The patter between Mr. and Mrs. Wimsey was cute and, with some good supporting actors, the acting was fine. It was enjoyable but not as funny as it could have been. Still, not a bad little film. The good outweighed the marginal.
The movie was based on the 1937 Lord Peter Wimsey novel “Busman's Honeymoon” by Dorothy L. Sayers. Sayers wrote eleven Lord Wimsey novels.
A busman's holiday is a term used to refer to someone who uses their free time in pursuit of the same thing they do for work. For example, a chef having friends over for a dinner party or a carpenter that uses his free time to build houses for “habitat for humanity”. The phrase refers to a bus driver who spends their day off taking a long bus ride.